In a press conference at the end of the EU’s European Council yesterday, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said calling for assassinating a head of state is freedom of the press, in reference to a call for assassinating Vladimir Putin published by the Italian daily La Stampa. “Freedom of the press is sanctioned by our Constitution,” Draghi said. “It is no surprise that the Russian Ambassador was so upset: In his country there is no freedom of the press. In our country, we have it and we are much better off.” Russian ambassador to Italy Sergey Razov has filed a lawsuit against La Stampa, for “criminal solicitation” and “apology of a crime” March 24.
The Turin-based daily La Stampa, owned by the largest print media group in Italy (the Agnelli family heirs, also owners of Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica and main shareholders of The Economist Group) had called for the assassination of Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an article by its senior correspondent Domenico Quirico.
